A Golden Rye IPA - An outstanding hop from New Zealand, Nelson Sauvin, is generously used throughout the brewing and dry-hopping of this unique beer. European rye is added for a smooth, malty addition to flavor. 1.065 OG 7% AB

Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by DavidST:

On tap poured into a long glass, unknown freshness. This was poured a hazy golden amber color with a smaller laced leading off white head. The smells are of oranges, citrus fruit, grapefruit and sweet malts. The feel is medium with a nice creamy carbonation. The taste is very balanced and good, lots of bitter hops, citrus fruit, good stuff.

More User Reviews:

Deliciously rounded and profoundly unique with malt flavors of caramel and butterscotch balanced with citrus and winy notes- Nelson delivers the familiar wash of IPA flavors, but with a unique twist here and there to create intrigue and identity.

Pouring a firm orange camel color, the beer carries the standard hoppy hazy that allows only a mild glow to penetrate. Very well headed with a creamy egg shell white foam cap, the beer's froth retains remarkably and laces the glass with left over traces of foam. It's a sturdy looking beer.

Rich and zesty aromas seem to alternate from malty caramel in one whiff, but orange marmalade the next. Notes of herbs, grapes, citrus, and tropical fruits continue to emphasize the fruity-hop dominance of the ale.

Flavors are full of caramel, butterscotch, honey, and crisp grain as the barley makes a moderate impact on flavor. But what makes it's mark is the hops. Starting citrusy with the taste of grapefruit, freshly zested oranges, and a light mango flavor; the beer also weaves in the slightly woody flavors of white wine, juniper-gin, and sassafras for a truly unique counterpart to the ordinary citrusy-resiny hops. But the resin quality comes into play in finish with a decidedly bitter finish of drying hops, alcohol warmth, and light mint.

Medium bodied, the beer's early creaminess is quickly sheds, in favor of fleeting caramel malts, high hop bitterness, mild grassy astringency, and sappy closure. Only a linger of grapefruit bitterness reminds me of how dry the beer is and encourages a quick visit to the glass, much sooner than it should.

Although the beer has a lot of classic and intelligent characteristics that set it apart, the mild buttery taste gives the hoppy ale a rounded and rich taste while the winy hops give extra acidity with a somewhat twiggy taste. Likely considered flaws to some, the moderate tones of these properties give the beer more intrigue and seduction than they do deterrents.

Appearance - This is actually brown in color which suggests a monster malt base to this AIPA. The head is huge and yeasty with great retention and left some wonderful lacing.

Smell - The heavy hop aroma is huge here. I can't recall ever having the namesake Nelson Sauvin hops but they remind me of big PacNW hops. The malt here though is also big and provides a strong balance. It is not overly sweet but full of caramel.

Taste - The big hops and malt come out exactly the same at the taste. This beer is perfectly balanced with monster, PacNW style pine and herbal hops and big unsweetened caramel malts.

Mouthfeel - This is a solid medium-bodied with a good bitter bite throughout.

Drinkability - This is a big beer that begs to be sipped. It goes down well enough but will be too big for the casual drinker. It feels like a DIPA in every way except in ABV.

Huge thanks to Mike for splitting this with me - one that I've been dying to try. Nelson pours a murky golden and somewhat orange-ish color. Super hazy and amazingly unfiltered, it looks something like lighter-toned apple cider. Surprisingly little head for an IPA, and it looks a bit thick during the pour, but the yeasty haze is strangely compelling.

Alpine Nelson smells like the West Coast; wall-to-wall tropical fruits that immediately pummel your nostrils as the beer nears your face. Pineapple, mango, and a very large helping of oranges and/or tangerines. It almost has a "juice" vibe too it, and even begins to draw some similarities to Pliny the Elder.

The Nelson hops have a very nice, bursting wet and weedy aroma to them. Fresh, vibrant, and bright, exploding with savory leafiness and a mild twinge of bitterness alongside their wonderful tropical fruit inclusions. Not much malt (or rye, for that matter) in the aroma. This one is clearly all about the hops.

The flavor is just as "West Coast" as the aroma; again, just bursting through with a wonderful fruit profile. More pineapples and a gushing display of tangerines. The leafy side of the hops are more amplified on the palate, coming to life with a nice pungency; weedy, wet, grassy, with a beautiful sustaining bitterness.

Some slight onion-y flavors get tossed about; typically not a flavor I'm fond of in my beer, but it's light enough here to provide another layer of complexity rather than get in the way or distract. I finally get some rye in the finish, adding a nice dryness and the lightest touch of spice in the finale. Not as heavy on the palate as it appeared; slick, oily, and lightly carbonated.

Wow, this stuff went down like nothing. It was like drinking juice with some hops mixed in. Beautiful display of the Nelson hop and what it's capable of. Huge tropical fruit aromas and flavors make this sucker incredibly easy to drink. This is something you could crush just drinking outside on a hot day. Another staple in the already larger-than-life portfolio of West Coast IPAs.

Bomber pours into my glass a deep orange/yellow with a two finger creamy, bubbling white head and superb clarity. Aromas start with a distinct tropical, pungent, fruity hop explosion. Grapefruit melds in with a nice spicy rye character. There is somewhat of a vinous, white wine character lurking within as well. Quite the lovely aroma.

First sip brings a plethora of fruity, resinous, pungent hops upfront with bold mango and grapefruit flavors. Spicy rye mixes in beautifully. Flows down with a good kick of bitterness that's well placed. Lingering fruity hops on the palate. Delicious!

Mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with perfect carbonation. This one is exceedingly easy to drink and just amazingly enjoyable. A top notch IPA and I love the addition of rye and the Nelson Sauvin hops. Seek it out if you have the ability!